Blacksburg, VA – November 25, 2016 - GoGig Inc., a Blacksburg-based Internet provider, is expanding its gigabit speed Internet services to residential neighborhoods in early 2017. Instead of using a traditional and expensive approach of installing communication lines directly to the home, GoGig will connect to homes and small businesses using a combination of fiber to the neighborhood and advanced wireless technologies. The goal of the service is to cover at least 80% of the community within the next 36 months. No monthly contracts are required, with prices expected to peak at $90 per month. Citizens can go to the company website at http://gogig.net to learn more, check availability and register their interest level in the service. ​“The Town of Blacksburg is excited to see the continued investment and expansion of gigabit broadband service levels in our community. This is a critical piece of infrastructure to serve the demands of today as well as our future. The town has enjoyed a successful partnership with GoGig to offer gigabit service in our downtown,” said Marc Verniel, Town Manager. Recent advances in wireless technologies, including Multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO), Extremely High Frequency (EHF aka millimeter wave) and beamforming allow GoGig to deliver high quality, low latency, 300mbps Internet services to the home. This same technology plus fiber optic lines are deployed to provide up to 10 gigabits per second into the neighborhood. The result is high capacity, low latency and highly reliable Internet in all weather conditions and peak Internet usage times.

GoGig has its origin in a crowdfunded effort that began over 3 years ago among a dozen tech companies, residents and the Town of Blacksburg to bring gigabit fiber Internet service plus free WiFi to downtown. Since its launch in 2013, the downtown free Internet service has outlived its 18 month mission while serving tens of thousands of people. In addition, the number of technology professionals working in the downtown area of Blacksburg has more than doubled in the same period, growing to over 200 technology-based workers. “At NewCity we put our internet connection through the wringer on a daily basis. GoGig has kept us reliably connected at ludicrous speeds for the last couple of years, both wirelessly and, more recently, via a direct fiber connection. They know what they're doing, and they back it up with fantastic customer service. We're regularly thankful for both their service and their commitment to the community at large,” said Phil Pelanne, Director of Technology at NewCity.

Wireless service is received via a small, pita sized, electronic device which is mounted on the outside of the home or business. An Internet cable from inside the building provides power to the device and brings the Internet service inside to a standard home WiFi router. GoGig can also provide managed WiFi inside the home for an additional fee. Services are currently available in the Brownstone, Kent Square, TechPad and several other buildings in downtown on Main Street.

Expansion into residential neighborhoods will begin immediately in 2017 with buildings within a half mile of the 16-block area of downtown Blacksburg gaining access first and expand further based on neighborhood demand. Interest levels from the online survey will play a significant role in determining priority of coverage in a specific neighborhood. “What is ahead of us is incredibly awesome. Everyone should have access to affordable, high quality, and secure Internet. I am confident that the technologies we are deploying will significantly accelerate this vision to become a reality. It is a proud day for our community to once again be at the leading edge of Internet technologies,” said Bob Summers, founder of GoGig, Inc. “Our team of industry leading researchers, commercial partners, and staff are dedicated to delivering the First-class Internet experience Blacksburg deserves.”

Blacksburg residents and businesses can visit http://gogig.net to check availability and register to receive updates about the service expansion. For inquiries, contact Dave Perks of The Perks Agency at (540) 449-9295 or dave@theperksagency.com.

ABOUT GOGIG INC.Based in Blacksburg, Virginia, GoGig is an Internet provider committed to delivering a high quality, affordable and secure Internet experience to residents and businesses in rural communities. It has a long standing relationship with its customers to provide exceptional Internet and customer service. With primary operations in Blacksburg, Virginia, GoGig is building an Internet business to scale across rural communities globally. Check http://gogig.net for more information and availability.